Surfactant free hydrothermal formation of Pb3O4 nanorods

Abstract Lead oxide (Pb3O4) nanorods with average diameter of about 90 nm, average length of ∼1.5 μm and average crystallite size of about 42 nm, were prepared through a novel surfactant free hydrothermal route and were characterized with XRD, SEM and TEM investigations. Selected area electron diffraction pattern captured from a single nanorod with average diameter of 80 nm, confirmed the tetragonality of Pb3O4 lattice structure and 〈2 1 1〉 growth direction of the typical nanorods. The possible suggested mechanism is that the oriented attachment of Cl−-capped PbO2 clusters and their subsequent decomposition under hydrothermal environment resulted in formation of Pb3O4 nanorods.